More Victims Coming Forward to Seek Help

2012-05-11T22:47:54Z2012-05-12T03:45:54Z

By Sylvia GonzalezNewsWest 9

ODESSA - More and more people continue to be victims of different types of abuse. Here's what may surprise you, the abuse is no longer associated solely to women. The abuse is seen all across the board whether it be a man to a woman, woman to a man or couples of the same gender.

According to Chuck Hornung, Executive Director with the Crisis Center, the reason they have seen an increase in their numbers, has to do with more people coming forward.

"We've seen the success of the message getting out, more people are cognizant, that there is a different lifestyle, they don't have to live in the abusive situation," Hornung said.

But it's still not easy to admit you need help, Yolanda Venegas works directly with the victims and tells NewsWest 9 why most victims are reluctant at first to seek help.

"People are not educated. They don't realize there are agencies that are here to help them and that's why we try to go out as much as we can within the community to educate people that the services are here and we are here to help them," Venegas said.

According to Hornung, the younger generation is not the only target of abuse, he has seen victims of all ages come into the center.

"This year, our oldest client has been 68-years-old, a lot of these young ladies are not willing to put up with the abuse," Hornung said.

For victims desperately wanting out of a violent situation, help is just a phone call away.

"This gives you the ability to take the number and then you can just call us because there is nothing on there, it tells you what that number is, it's an in oculus thing," Hornung said.

The Crisis Center offers helps with intervention, advocacy and shelter. They're hoping they can continue to impact victim's lives.

"People don't know we are here. People don't realize we have a shelter. We have resources for them to help them get out," Venegas said.